Inside the talks: Fiscal framework emerges — Listen to top Democrats and Republicans talk on camera, and it sounds like they could not be further apart on a year-end tax-and-spending deal - a down payment on a $4 trillion grand bargain. — But behind the scenes, top officials …

Syrian Internet Is Off The Air — Starting at 10:26 UTC (12:26pm in Damascus), Syria's international Internet connectivity shut down. In the global routing table, all 84 of Syria's IP address blocks have become unreachable, effectively removing the country from the Internet.

Big Issues Are Lost in Focus on Libya Talking Points — WASHINGTON — Three days after the lethal attack on the American Mission in Benghazi, Libya, Representative C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, asked intelligence agencies to write …

The Trouble With Susan Rice — The would-be secretary of state's record on Iran, Israel, human rights and more. — Several Republican senators continue to oppose the possible nomination of Susan Rice, currently the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to be secretary of state in President Obama's second term.

Drive to Unionize Fast-Food Workers Begins — After three years of working at the McDonald's restaurant on 51st Street and Broadway, Alterique Hall earns $8 an hour — and is yearning for something better. — So when he heard about an unusual campaign that aims to unionize dozens …

The Science Behind Those Obama Campaign E-Mails — One fascination in a presidential race mostly bereft of intrigue was the strange, incessant, and weirdly overfamiliar e-mails that emanated from the Obama campaign. Anyone who shared an address with the campaign soon started receiving messages …

The Incestuous Bleeding of the Republican Party — If money is the root of all evil, for the Republican Party evil is located on the fifth floor of 66 Canal Center Plaza, Alexandria, VA 22314. — Strip away the candidate and coalition and it is on the fifth floor of 66 Canal Center Plaza …

Mitt Romney face tattoo man does an about-face — Critics of Mitt Romney accused him of being a flip-flopper. Now one of his die-hard supporters is guilty of the same charge. — Eric Hartsburg, the 30-year-old resident of Michigan City, Ind., inked the Romney/Ryan campaign's distinctive …

VP Biden attends Costco grand opening in DC — Vice President Joe Biden attended the grand opening of a Costco in Washington D.C. on Thursday. — According to pool reports, Biden flashed his Costco card as he walked in, was met with cheers, and an employee handled his cart as he walked the aisles.

Romney, Ryan meet off Capitol Hill — Mitt Romney met for about ninety minutes with former running mate Paul Ryan ahead of his White House lunch Thursday with President Obama. — CNN reported that Romney and Rep. Ryan (R-Wis.) met at a Washington-area hotel and not on Capitol Hill.

The Tea Party Goes to War — A left-right attempt to treat terror detainees like common criminals. — There's a lot to be said for the libertarian approach to government, but the realities of a dangerous world can make its more rigid adherents seem naïve.

Zurich to open drive-in sex boxes — The Swiss city of Zurich is to open drive-in sex boxes in an attempt to rid the town of street prostitution. — Zurich council has approved a plan to build the boxes, which will, it hopes, provide a discreet location for prostitutes and their clients …

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